1. Field
The disclosed embodiments relate to a device and method for alerting in the event that foreign bodies are introduced into the housings of aircraft gear.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
It transpires that stowaway migrants risk their life by secreting themselves aboard the housings of landing gear of airliners on international journeys.
Lack of oxygen and temperatures of below −40° C., critical at altitude, make this journey in most cases extremely dangerous, or indeed fatal. Experience shows that very few stowaways have survived this type of journey.
Paradoxically, it is relatively easy to hoist oneself aboard aircraft with the aid of the kinematics of the gear housings.
This risk is heightened furthermore in airports where surveillance of the surroundings is very restricted, thereby easing the stowaway's access to the aircraft.
Airline companies generally make an inspection of the gear housings when checking over the aircraft before takeoff, but this inspection is ineffective for two reasons:                on certain wide-bodied planes, the space reserved for the gear housing is immense and inspection is made difficult because of the numerous crannies, especially if this inspection is done at night;        experience shows finally that most stowaways climb aboard during the takeoff phase in particular during the alignment of the aircraft before throttle-back.        
Moreover a great many airliner takeoffs from countries with high emigration rates are performed at night, thereby making it still more difficult to spot would-be stowaways.
Another issue is related to the security aspect in the sense that the ease of access to the gear housings before takeoff and the difficulty of inspection can constitute a risk to flight safety.